Hughton hoping his third stint as manager is brief

Jun 30 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

CHRIS Hughton is hoping that his third spell as caretaker boss of Newcastle United is a brief one – after admitting that the club need to appoint a permanent manager “as soon as possible”.

With the squad reassembling for the start of pre-season training tomorrow, Hughton has again been asked by United owner Mike Ashley to take charge on a temporary basis. He will be assisted by Colin Calderwood, who has rejoined the club on a week-to-week contract, and goalkeeping coach Paul Barron until there is a breakthrough in Ashley’s attempts to sell United.

Hughton admits he has “no idea” how long that will take, but is at pains to point out that his sphere of influence will not include recruitment, player contracts or deciding which of the squad members will be allowed to leave.

With so much work to be done to prepare for what promises to be a gruelling Championship campaign, Hughton unsurprisingly agrees with the majority view that the impasse can not be allowed to continue for much longer.

He has batted back suggestions that the lack of manager will harm pre-season preparations, however, insisting that few managers will be a regular presence on the training ground this early in the summer.

“I don’t know how long I will be in charge for. It could be three days, a week, two weeks, three weeks... I’m not sure,” he admitted. “My job will be to make sure that the squad is properly prepared, to begin work on pre-season and begin a good programme that gives us a chance of doing what we want to do – getting back into the Premier League.

“As regards anything else like bringing in players, that is not my responsibility at the moment. At some stage someone will come in and take over from me.

“Everyone is aware that there is interest in taking over the club and something could happen soon.